Desire
by Hippie In A Chevy
Summary: A story about a girl who saves the universe with a Vulpix. It may sound a little off, but please give it a chance. No one who's read it so far has been disappointed.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Prologue

Desire looked up at me with her soulful brown eyes. The flames reflected into them, dancing in the soft mahogany rimmed by gold, and the fire crackled ever so slightly so as to make them sparkle. They seemed so simple, and yet so complex at the same time, innocent with the trusting nature that seemed to radiate from them, and so deep as if they held a secret no one else could understand. I could sit here for hours, simply lost in her eyes. Such beautiful eyes.

"Vuuuuulpix," she crooned softly. I stroked her long, silky red fur, caressing her warm body in mine. We were one, she and I, in a way that I could never explain. I held her gently in my arms, and her heart beat as mine. Our heart.

My eyes flicked over to the fire, with its last dying embers glowing brilliantly against the night sky. It was a starry night, with a light mist hanging faintly over our makeshift campground and mixing in with the swirling gray smoke. The mist glided over, encircling us, and is if the night itself were giving us a hug. The black sky showed no signs of lightening, and it was reassuring to know that. I had always felt a strange connection to the night, as if it could last forever if I let it. And not for the first time, I wished it did.

Desire padded softly over to the dying fire and puffed out a small flame, which instantly relit the charred wood, and the fire roared in its pleasure of growing stronger. I stared into it solemnly, watching as it grew higher and higher, almost seeming to touch the dark treetops so high above me. The black trunks flickered gently with the firelight, illuminating them for a second before they receded back to the shadows once again. I simply lied on my back beside the fire, gazing into the starry sky absentmindedly. The darkness seemed to flow into me, through me, telling me that everything was okay. The rest of the world had long since fallen asleep, and everything seemed to be at peace here, as if nothing bad had ever happened or ever would. Deep thoughts wound their way through my mind, tossing a memory at me and then pulling it away.

Except for one. The memory of when I had first met Desire. When I had first learned who I was. It seemed so long ago…I focused my mind on this one thought, and the rest of the world seemed to shatter into pieces.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter 1

"Can I have a pokemon yet?" I asked in a bored tone, already knowing the answer.

"No," Mom replied simply.

I sighed and looked out the dirty window at our excuse for a yard. The wooden fence was pushed over so far to one side you could see over, and the paint was so patchy it was practically spotted. Tall weeds grew up around a rusty old Buick with the doors still open, and they spread all across the yard, climbing up a gnarled old tree and then winding their way back to the long-forgotten back door. Heck, they came through the busted screen; it had way to many holes in it. I sighed, wondering why I had to be born into a place like this, but it _was _my luck.

"Robin take out the trash," my mom commanded, kicking our broken-down washing machine.

I rolled my eyes as I slipped on my ratty coat and headed outside. It was still early morning, so the grass was wet from dew and the sky a dark shade of blue. The trashcan rumbled down the gravel driveway, making me seem even more tired than I was. As you've probably already guessed, I am NOT a morning person. Morning is just way too depressing for my taste.

As soon as I snapped on the lid, a pair of headlights appeared in the distance, casting a faint shadow along the deserted road. The bright yellow school bus lumbered into view, and flung open its door with a loud squeak. I casually stepped on with a look that clearly read, "Don't bother me today."

So maybe I'm in a bad mood. Who cares, I'm ALWAYS in a bad mood. Nothing in my life has ever gone right. For example, just last week my-

SMACK! A paper wad made contact with the back of my head, and immature giggles erupted through the bus. I glared menacingly at everyone, sweeping my gaze from one end to the other. They seem to understand that I am seriously pissed and if I am bothered I may go off. But there are bound to be a few exceptions…disgruntled, I slouched down in my seat.

This is but one example of the idiocy of the world. The kids at school. I'm twelve now, so everyone who's going on a pokemon journey is pretty much gone. This leaves me in an absolutely hopeless situation, left with people who only care about whoring themselves to the nearest pimp and immature little bastards who get high on a pink marker every morning. I hate them all.

And as I've mentioned earlier, this is only part of it. When I actually get to school, I watch those idiots beat each other up. Following is an actual conversation from school:

"Say you do drugs!"

"You do drugs!"

"That's right! Say you're pregnant!"

"You're pregnant!"

"That's what I want to hear!"

What did I tell you? Stupid, aren't they? Then they all get high on the marker so-and-so brought to school today and beat each other up in their drunken rage. Pffft. And the teachers don't do anything about it. They don't care.

Home life? What home life? My dad ran off with some woman he met and left me. "Mom" doesn't love me. She just makes me do chores when I get home until she passes out on the couch and I can watch one of the five channels on the TV. Oh goody.

Now do you see why I'm so angry? I'd say I have a right to be. And some may call me a pessimist, always looking on the bad side of things, but there's only so much disappointment a person can take before they've had enough and I've had it. 

With a screech the bus pulled into school, throwing us forward. The kids scrambled from their packed seats, pushing and shoving, rocking the bus a bit, while one kid yelled at the pain of getting his foot caught in the stampede. After a lot of effort, a mediocre line was formed up the aisle and they all came pouring out, half of them tripping over the person in front of them. Still in my seat, I glanced up at the mirror and saw the bus driver roll her eyes in disgust. I flashed her a knowing smile, and watched the end of the line slowly disappear. I got up and took my usual place at the end and filed out, with a quick wink to the driver. She and I are friends in a way, communicating with occasional expressions. She seems to be the only one in this entire school with any sense….

The idiots ran up the carved stairs, still shoving in some ridiculous race to reach their class first. With a sigh, I slowed down and walkedup the stairs, only to be rudely shoved away by some pervert. "Watch where you're standing, bitch!" he screamed back as he entered the hallway.

Reaching the top of the stairs, I flung open the double doors to reveal the heart of the school.

Not exactly the thing I wanted to wake up to in the morning.


	3. The Psycho Teacher Chapter

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The school was alive with sights and sounds, though none of them were pleasing. The resounding shudder of locker doors echoed through the hall, and the dim florescent lights burned my eyes horribly. Students called to one another from across the crowded corridor, almost unable to move in the busy area. Tired, I shuffled my feet over the dirty, scuffed gray tile, weaving my way slowly through the multitude.

In a bit, the halls began to thin out. The bell would ring soon. Students were speeding up the pace, and there was an air of impatience hanging in the air. The voices rang out as the clock slowly…ticked…

I slammed my locker door shut and bolted for my classroom. DING! DING! DING! DI- The bell gave its usual three and a half rings before shutting off. But I was happy. I had avoided being late.

"Sit down, Robin," the teacher said in a bored voice. Absentmindedly, she shuffled the papers on her desk. "Alright, who has their reduced lunch forms?"

I got up with three other students and made my way up to her desk. She took the paper from my hand, eyeing me suspiciously as I walked back to my seat. I don't know what her problem is, she's just always STARING at me. And I have no idea why.

"Take out your math books and turn to page 216," she instructed. First zippers were heard, and then came the all-too-familiar sound of flipping pages. I lowered my eyes to the book.

"Okay, today's lesson is about powers of monomials," she droned. I tuned her out, thinking about what I could do today. Mom said she was going to the store. And when Mom said she was going to the store, that always meant she was going to her date's house and getting in bed. As sadistic as I may be, I always enjoyed it when she went out afterwards and got drunk. It meant an entire day for me to go out into the woods and have some fun. Well, at least as much fun as someone can have in the woods.

"…And that's what happens when you add the binomials," the teacher finished. "Robin, are you paying attention?" she snapped.

"Uh, yeah," I said.

"Then tell me what two to the fourth, b to the second is!"

"Uh…32?" Childish snickers were heard throughout the room.

"No, it's a trick question, stupid," she announced bitterly. "I hope you fail that test."

She was, of course, referring to the TCAP test, which we took every year in March. I didn't really care. There was no way I would ever make it into college. Heck, as soon as graduated I was going to be a trainer.

"Anyway, for those of you who are listening, the next thing we do is take four and solve it for y," she spat. I tuned her out again.

I took my pencil and drew little designs on my desk; hearts, circles, and flowers. I then erased them. I needed something a bit more challenging to draw. I picked up my pencil again and started on a detailed picture of a Vulpix, completely oblivious to the impact this tiny drawing would have on the rest of my life.

DING! DING! DING! DI- The bell sounded again. Everyone jumped up and grabbed their backpacks, eager to be the first one on the bus. I hefted my own backpack over my shoulder, and started to leave when I felt a cold hand on my shoulder. "Robin, you stay here," the teacher stated angrily.

She gripped my hand roughly and led me over to her desk. "I don't care who you think you are," she said through gritted teeth. "When you are in my class, you are my slave. When you are in my class, you will do what I tell you to. When you are in my class, you will OBEY ME!" she screeched. By now, I thought she had a serious mental problem. "WHEN YOU ARE IN MY CLASS, YOU BELONG TO ME!" she laughed hysterically. "SO I'M NOT LETTING YOU OUT OF MY CLASS!"

"Umm…why?" I asked. In all my life, I had never seen her act this crazy before.

"SO I CAN MAKE YOU SERVE ME!" she was still holding my wrist, and was now squeezing it much tighter than before. "And now…you are going to take this gun," she giggled, "and shoot it."

I raised my eyebrows. "What gun?"

"THE GUN IN MY HAND!" she screamed, jabbing her finger in my face. "TAKE IT!"

I looked in her hand. No gun. She had definitely lost it. Even so, I figured maybe I could outsmart her. "I can't do that unless you drop my hand."

She looked down at my hand, then at my eyes, then back down again. "Well…alright," she agreed, and released me.

I reached out as if to take an imaginary gun, but instead I pulled her head down and gave her a forceful kick to the face. She staggered back, moaning in pain before she collapsed on the floor, unconscious. I seized the opportunity and bolted.

I didn't stop until I was in front of the bus, which had just pulled up. I scooted into a place in line, nervously looking back, almost expecting the psycho teacher to come running out the doors. But she never came. I hopped onto the bus, and took my place near the middle.

The doors closed with a squeak, and the bus started forward with a jolt. It turned out of the school parking lot, and slowly began to pick up speed. The bus driver turned on the radio. A soft, relaxing song was playing, so I just sat back leisurely, and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Half an hour later, the bus was nearing the end of its route. I'm the last one off, so I stood up and headed towards the front. My blue mailbox was growing closer, closer…

And then we passed it.

"Umm, you passed my house," I pointed out politely.

The driver gave me a strange grin. "I know."


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Huh?" I leaned closer to her, certain I'd heard wrong.

"I. Know," she repeated slowly.

"But…uhh….." I just stood there gawking like an idiot for a minute. "Wait, are you trying to kidnap me or something?"

The driver sighed. "Look, I'm not trying to kidnap you. You are in no danger."

"Uh-huh," I said sarcastically. "You better let me off this bus NOW, or I'll-"

"Or you'll what?" she retorted.

"I'll…umm….uhh…"

"Just sit down. Don't make this hard on me, okay? I don't want to have to use force."

Even then, I stood my ground, scanning the bus for a possible escape. There was none. The windows were far too small, and had always been hard to open. I couldn't jump out the emergency door in the back, this was a fairly busy road and I was sure to be run over, or perhaps die on impact. But still…I had no idea what the bus driver was planning. 

Death on one side. Death on the other. Once again, my traditional bad luck had gotten me into another fine mess, and this time I didn't even know how much time I had to decide…

CRASH! The bus veered right, into the woods beside the road. Startled, my feet slid out from under me, planting me on the dirty floor. I was thrown against the back door, but now I had absolutely no intention of opening it. "WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" I shouted as tall redwoods fell into each other with a sickening crack.

"SHUT UP AND LET ME DRIVE!" she screamed violently.

By now I was completely terrified, my eyes wide in fear. "AHHH!" I shrieked as we hit a tree broadside, and another busted through our windshield. "SHIT!" the driver exclaimed as she spun the steering wheel frantically. We turned right- at least, I think it was right- and stopped. I was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when two pines collapsed onto the top of the bus, denting the roof. Then came a horrifying creak as they sunk lower…lower…

…and stopped.

"Ahh…ahh…" I gasped in ragged breaths. "WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?" I cried out.

"She had to," called an unknown voice.

"Who- who are you?" I asked softly.

A woman stepped out of the shadows. "That is not as important as who YOU are," she replied. She had short, dark brown hair clipped to the top of her head and a sharp, upturned nose. Her piercing blue eyes matched her navy jacket quite well, which was carefully placed over a red ribbed shirt. She wore a navy blue skirt which came down to her mid-thigh, and even navy heels at the end of her long legs.

"Come with me," she said simply.

"Why?" I scooted into an empty bus seat.

"Do it," she snapped, "or I'll come in after you."

Reluctantly I opened the back door and hopped out. The woman strode over and took my hand gently but firmly. "Umm…where are you taking me?" I was almost afraid to ask.

"You'll see." I was SO sick of everyone being so vague I wanted to scream. But I'd already done enough of that on the bus to last me for years.

The strange woman led me deep into the woods, ducking under trees and stepping over vines. I wondered why the heck she would bother to drag me in farther; the bus had gone pretty far back. Then I remembered the trail of destruction it had left, and sighed silently. I was going to die in the middle of nowhere.

A tumbledown shack appeared in the distance. It was made of warped, rotten wood and had ivy growing all over it. Oh great, now I was going to die in this hunk-of-junk. Things just kept getting better and better.

The woman turned the discolored knob and pulled the faded door open, leading me inside. It shut with a long creak, and banged a few times before it closed. I turned to the woman, and she looked at me expectantly. I wanted to ask, "What now?" but I knew that she would pull a gun and shoot me. Neither of us said a word.

She sighed and folded her arms across her chest. "Well?"

"Well?" I asked back. "You're the one that brought me here."

She gazed at me pityingly, and replied, "You have no idea what's going on, do you?"

"No."

She paused for a moment, and said, "We need your help."

"Who's we? You and the bus driver?"

She would have laughed had the tone not been so serious. "No…everyone."

"Okay then," I grinned broadly, "whaddya need?"

"It's a long story…" she started, "but one that needs to be told. You see, in the center of the universe is…well, a kind of control panel. It regulates everything that goes on, so things will be like they're supposed to be. But recently it got messed up. We're not sure how, but it did. Anyway, several worlds are being destroyed right now. And it's spreading. And that's why we need you."

I just stared. This sounded like something off a movie. So I asked the terribly clichéd question, "Why me?"

She laughed. "We need someone with nothing to lose. You hate your life, yes? Well, when this is over, you can have absolutely anything you want. Anything."

I blinked. "Really?"

"Yes," she grinned, "really. In fact…we have something for you now. COME!" she shouted, clapping her hands. I started to get up when I realized the command was meant for the Vulpix that came bounding into the room.

The eyes. Even then, they held me transfixed in such a way I could never explain. "Vulpix," she smiled a cute little Vulpix smile.

I bent down and stroked her. "What's the Vulpix for?"

"We've been watching you," the woman said darkly, "and we know you want a pokemon." Before I could ask how they watched me, she said, "You better give her a name."

I wracked my brain for a good name for the small red pokemon, but none came. And as if it were destiny, one just clicked. _Desire._

I stared down at the Vulpix, then looked up again. Truly enough, a Vulpix always had been my heart's desire. The name was fitting. "Desire," I proclaimed proudly, "her name is Desire."


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Now that that's taken care of," she rubbed her hands together briskly, "let's get down to business, shall we?"

"I guess," I shrugged. I really didn't care.

"Well, now you know," she replied dryly. "The first world you have to fix is plagued by poverty."

I smiled. This was something I had plenty of experience with, so it would probably be a cakewalk. "Alright," I grinned wider. "Let's go."

The lady waved her hands, and a hole in the air appeared. I know that doesn't make any sense, but that's what it looked like. "Just step in," she instructed solemnly, and hung her head. I had no idea what was going on, but I didn't want to ask either. So I stepped up to the portal, and prepared to go in-

"AAAACK!" I screeched. It had sucked me in before I reached it! "What the-" Almost as soon as I had entered, I was flung out. Right into a dumpster.

"The heck?" I wrinkled my forehead. "What the…oh man," I covered my nose to keep from gagging. Right then, I gained a new definition of the word "stinks."

"Heh heh…" A man's body rose from the trash. "Come look at our new roommate, Chandra." He had a scruffy brown beard and long greasy hair, and his clothes were so threadbare they were nearly gone. Then a woman I assumed to be Chandra crawled over from the other end of the dumpster. She looked the same as the man, except with red hair instead of brown and without the beard. "Huh? Oh…wow," she stared at me. "What happened here?" I followed her gaze to my clothes. They were exactly the same as before. A little dirty, maybe, but spotless compared to hers. 

"Vuuul," Desire shyly inched out from behind me. I almost slapped myself, I'd completely forgotten about her. "I'm sorry," I said soothingly as I patted her fur. "It's okay."

"Who's your little friend there?" the man grinned, revealing his yellow teeth. "A pet? How do you feed her?" He leaned closer, and the stink grew.

I coughed. "Just found her somewhere," I replied. It wasn't a complete lie.

He laughed, a harsh, spitting laugh. "Hey," he moved back over to Chandra and started whispering something in her ear. I'm not one to eavesdrop, but I was pretty confused. I just made out the words "take" and "sell." All I needed to hear. "Umm, I better be going now," I placed my hands on the side of the dumpster, and prepared to jump.

"Oh no you don't!" Chandra shouted as she lunged for me. I nimbly rolled to the side, but the man pinned me down. "Nice try," he snarled, "but judging from your clothes, we need that money a heck of a lot more than you do." To my horror, Chandra reached over and ripped my shirt off. I screamed, but the man covered my mouth as Chandra struggled with my pants. When she had worked them off, the man let go of me, grabbed the shirt, jumped over the dumpster wall and bolted. I reached out to grab Chandra as she scrambled over the iron wall, but my hands closed around empty air. "Vulpix!" Desire hopped up onto the edge of the wall, and looked at me for permission to Flamethrower. "No," I whispered. "It'll burn my clothes." I scrunched down deeper in the trash, my sunburned face turning even redder. "Arrgh, WHY do these things always have to happen to me?" I grumbled.

"Vul vulpix," said Desire in a cute little Vulpix voice.

"Please shut up," I responded in an annoyed tone. The couple, seeing that I had slumped down into the dumpster, started advertising right in the alley. "Shirt and pants! Perfect condition! Ten cents, only ten cents! Trade for food!" the man called. Chandra kept her eye on me. "Seven cents, only seven cents ladies and gentlemen!" the man lowered his price. "A bargain! Come see for yourself!" The "sale" had drawn a few customers, whose mouths instantly dropped open when they saw my clothes. More people rushed in, most of them nude, and cries rang out in the now-crowded alley.

"I have two cans of beef, will you trade?"

"Five cents and an egg!"

"I have it! I have the seven cents!" a middle-aged woman shoved her way through the crowd. She reached out a pair of dirty hands. "Here!"

But a small hand darted forward and grabbed the money. "Hey!" shouted the woman. A different hand snatched my clothes away from the bearded man. "Come back here!" he protested. But it was too late. The alley broke into a madhouse of screaming people, groping for the ones with the money and clothes. Punching, kicking, and biting, they fought, pulling each other's tangled hair and bumping heads, sometimes accidentally and sometimes not. The small alley had become a mass of stinking bodies, piled on top of each other, crying out with every blow. The dumpster shuddered loudly as people were hurled against it, and a few even landed in the garbage beside me before they instantly leaped back into the melee. I saw the two thieves running off in the distance, but the people in the alley didn't seem to realize they were gone. Or maybe they were just attacking in anger. I shook my head slowly as I took in the spectacle before me, hardly daring to believe it. My hard times were absolutely nothing compared to this.

Not too much later, many of them had been knocked out, so I assumed the worst part of it was over. Those left conscious were laying face up in pools of blood, taking in ragged breaths. Tears tricked down my cheek as I watched them slowly die. They say that when watching someone die, you feel so helpless, that you want to help but can't. Right then, all the old tales were confirmed for me.

"Vuuul…" Desire hung her head sadly. "Pix, pix, Vulpix!" she nudged me towards the edge of the dumpster.

"What? You want me to help? But there's nothing I can-"

"VULPIX!" She jumped back in a battle stance.

"Oh…umm, alright," I swung one leg over the wall. "But I'm telling you, there's nothing I can do." The rest of my body slipped down onto the ground, narrowly missing a Flamethrower. I sighed and looked at the bodies that littered the faded pavement.

A small boy turned to me. "Please…help," he stuttered. "Can't breathe." He coughed up blood.

"Vul," Desire urged me. I crawled over to the boy, almost afraid, and put my mouth on his. I inhaled through my nose, and exhaled into his throat. I blushed, hoping that at the very least we were left alone. If someone wandered in, they might think…well, that, and possibly that _I _was the one that killed all these people. So all I could do was keep breathing, and pray that no one would come. For my sake and his.

"Uhh…" he moaned softly and pushed me away. He sat up and wiped his mouth, gasping. "Thanks," he replied, then squinted his eyes at me. "Who are you?"

"I…I'm not from around here," I stuttered.

He raised one eyebrow. "You wouldn't look it." It was ironic how much difference clothes could make. 

"Whatever," I shrugged. "Ummm….can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

I scrunched down lower. "Why is everybody around here so poor?"

He jumped back, startled. "You really AREN'T from here, are you?"

"I already answered that," I replied tartly, "Now can you answer my question?"

He gave me an odd look I wasn't sure what meant. "Government took it all."

I blinked. "ALL of it? Why would they do something like that?"

He lowered his eyes. "Almost all of it. It's not certain, but there's an estimated sixty-five dollars left in the entire country. That's all the government didn't find," he sighed, "and the precious few that have money are so careful with it, since it's so rare." He looked back up. 

"But…why?" I was completely shocked at his story.

"Why? Well, no one knows for sure, but rumor has it they spent it on nukes for a war that never came. Others insist they still have it, they're just waiting for the right thing to spend it on. And still others…." he shuddered, "others say it was just fate."

Now it was my turn to shudder. He had no idea how close he was. "Well uh…what do you believe?" I smiled weakly.

"I really don't know. I just can't think of any plausible reason they would take it. So I guess that puts me in the third group then, huh?"

"Yeah," I stared ahead solemnly, "I guess so."

"Vulpix!" Desire leaped down from the edge of the dumpster. She smiled happily and padded over toward us.

"A pet?" he raised his eyebrows. "How much money do you have?"

I fidgeted. "Uhh…none."

"Riiiight…" he looked at me suspiciously and walked away.

"WAIT!" I scrambled to my feet. "Come back!"

He stopped. "What do you need now?" he sounded somewhat annoyed.

I stumbled up to him, and stopped. "Where does the government keep the money?" I panted.

He stared. "There's no proof they actually have it."

"But where would they put it?" I looked up at him desperately.

"I wouldn't know," he replied.

"Are you SURE you don't have any clue?"

"Yes," he was genuinely upset now. "I'm sure. Now please, just go away. I don't like talking about it!" he lowered his voice. "The only reason I did in the first place was because you saved my life." And with that, he darted off, leaving me lost and alone.

Note: The next chapter may take one or two weeks to get up, because I have only written up to this point. Please be patient as I write it. The last thing you want is a rushed story, right?


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Everything was going just _great_ so far. I was standing naked in the middle of the street with a Vulpix and no idea what I was supposed to do. "Man, this sucks," I groaned.

"Vulp! Vulpix!" Desire barked. "Vul vul pix!"

"Whatever you say," I rolled my eyes. "You know I can't understand you."

"Vuuuulpix…"she lowered her ears.

I frowned and put my hand on my head. "I am so not in the mood…" I sighed. "Come on, let's just go to the government building or wherever the heck we're going." I drug my feet along the dirty asphalt.

"Pix? Pix vul vul pix!" Desire queried. I took that as meaning "What? You don't know where it is!" or something along those lines.

"Well, I don't believe you have any idea either," I snapped. "If you come up with a better plan, do tell, because it would suuure beat this one."

Desire remained silent.

We plodded along that filthy road for what seemed like forever, never stopping to rest even once. My feet were hurting, Desire was whining, and everyone kept STARING at me like they were expecting me to give handouts or something. "I'm not a charity, you know!" I shouted at the passerby. Many tried to mug me and we ended up running away on several occasions. "SHUT UP!" I screeched as they gathered together in a screaming clump. I swear, it would be all too soon when I found that damn money.

I turned into an alley, panting for breath. "Finally," I sat down to rest. "Thought I'd never lose them."

"VULPIX! VUL VULPIX!" Desire hopped up and down excitedly.

"What now?" I groaned, turning my head. I was staring straight at a sign that read, "CIA headquarters. Keep out." Behind it was a long expanse of pavement crawling with guards, and even farther back was a tall brick building. Desire looked up at me expectantly.

"What're you looking at me for?" I whispered. "What am _I_ supposed to do? There's no way in!"

"Vulpix…" she tiptoed around the fence, looking for somewhere that wasn't overrun with security. I stood up and followed. We passed two more doors, but both had a guard stationed in front of them. I frowned and kept walking until I spotted another door that looked rather familiar…

"We've just made a circle!" I moaned. "Now what?"

"Vulpix," Desire sat down, looking thoughtful. The doors were guarded, the windows were guarded, and even the parking lot was guarded! No matter how much I thought about it, there just didn't seem to be any way in.

"HMMMM…" My head jerked up to see an airplane. The guards were running towards it, screaming, some pulling out their guns. A few of them tried to enter the building; I suppose they were calling reinforcements. The majority stayed outside though, shooting at the plane. The bullets didn't seem to be doing much damage.

"Ah!" I brightened. This was my chance! "Hey!" I motioned to Desire. "Can you melt this fence?" I was afraid to climb over because it might be electric. "Vul!" she cried and released a burst of red flame. Sparks flew every which way, and I shivered, thinking of what would have happened had I touched it.

Desire closed her mouth, leaving a medium-sized hole in the middle of the deadly fence. She hopped through lightly, and stood off to the side to wait for me.

Shaking slightly, I put one foot through, careful not to touch the metal. I bent down and poked my head in. I stood there feeling awkward for a moment, because the next step I had to do blind. I took a deep breath and jerked my other foot through, waiting for the shock that never came. I collapsed on the ground, trying to collect myself, but I quickly got up with a nudge from Desire.

"Yeah, let's go," I barreled across the pavement towards the door. It was a lot farther away than it looked, and I worried that I would be seen. But you'd be amazed how blind shooting at an airplane can make people.

"Almost there…" I leaned forward, pouring on speed. I reached out my hand and slammed hard into the door. The impact threw me back a bit, but I quickly grabbed the door handle and yanked it open.

I was staring straight down a hallway. A _long_ hallway, lined with about a million doors on each side. My eyes caught sight of a stairway at the end. Voices were floating down from the ceiling, so I assumed that must be where the guards had gone. Quietly, I half-ran down the corridor until I reached the steps.

I stopped right in front of what I had thought to be steps with a confused expression on my face. They weren't steps at all, but rather a VERY tall ladder. I stared up at it hopelessly, then put my foot on the first rung.

After just a few rungs, I began to tire. I gritted my teeth, wondering who the heck would put a ladder in a government building. I abandoned my self-pity quickly however; Desire was having a much harder time than I was due to her four legs.

I instantly sympathized with the small creature. "Here, hop on my back," I offered. Desire took a small leap and landed on my back. I swore I saw her smile, as if she knew something I didn't know. I looked at her suspiciously, then shrugged the thought off and continued climbing.

I grinned as the top rung came into view. I was getting much closer now, only about ten rungs to go. Nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…one…

"Ah!" I sighed as I reached the top. I leaned back and slid onto the floor, careful to be as quiet as possible. I pulled myself to my feet and tiptoed down the red-carpeted hall. Desire had no problem with noise, as she had paws.

I approached the wooden door and pressed my ear against it. I was just able to make out some conversation.

"Yes sir, the plane has escaped."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. It flew away…with the money."

I heard the sound of a chair scooting back really fast. "WHAT?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS!?" 

"I…I…please, sir…!"

"THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS!" he sounded like he was moving…toward the door!

I bolted down the hallway and jumped down the hole the ladder fit into. Just in time, too, because a second later I heard the sound of a door opening, and the man heading down the hall…

"Ow!" I cringed. There had been nothing to break my fall. Desire landed softly beside me, and immediately started off to the exit. She had already made it halfway there before she noticed I wasn't following. "Vul, vulpix!" she whispered, urging me to get up.

I staggered to my feet, wincing in pain. "Coming," I mouthed silently and scrambled for the door. It seemed so far away…so terribly far away…and the footsteps were getting closer, closer…

Once again, I slammed into the door, but this time I did not bounce back. I just kept running. Running away from the building, down the alley, and back into the crowded street. People gasped with shock and surprise as I weaved through them.

"HMMMMMMM" It was the airplane again. I sighed, wondering how I would ever get the money if it were flying. "Desire…any ideas?" I asked desperately.

"Vuul…" she looked down. I took that as a no.

"YEAH!" A great cheer erupted from the street, and I was promptly hit on the nose by Ben Franklin. Wait, not Ben Franklin, but a hundred dollar bill! I gasped and yanked it off. More of them were raining onto the street, in great clumps and sometimes just single. The townspeople cried out with joy.

I smiled nervously and looked up at the sky. "Well, Desire, at least I didn't have to do it."

She cocked her head. "Vul vulpix."

I narrowed my eyes. "Do not even start about morals. Just don't eeeeven start-" I was sucked into a portal.

"Whoa…" I shook my head, clearing it. I was back in the shack in the woods. The navy woman was still there, staring at me sternly. "I noticed you didn't solve the problem," she said crisply, "but someone else did."

"Hey, I tried," I replied lamely.

She glanced up. "I suppose it doesn't matter in the long run," she sighed, "Just…try to be quicker about it next time."

I fell back, startled. "NEXT time?!"

She smiled a strange smile. "Oh believe me…there will be a next time," she paused, "though that shall be saved for another day. Go home and get some rest."

I shrugged. There was no arguing with that.


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Ahhh…" I breathed deeply as I plopped down on my bed. Sure, it may have been pretty lumpy, but it was a welcome comfort after what I had just been through. Even after I finished the whole save-the-alternate-dimension thingy, I STILL had a…eh…problem. I had to get home stark naked. I was forced to take the woodland route, or else be arrested for public nudity. My bad luck strikes again.

"Vulpix," Desire hopped on my bed, then curled up into a little ball. As small as my bed was, this would not do. I sat up (with some effort, might I add.) "You…" I pointed, "you need your own bed."

"Vul!" Desire's ears perked up. She looked at me with that "I-know-something-you-don't-know" look. Whatever it was that she knew, I would find out sooner or later. But from the information I already had, I could deduct that…I would definitely be finding out later. _Much_ later.

I sighed and flung open my closet. Admittedly, I had very few clothes, most of which were too small. Frowning, I selected a thin flannel shirt and an old pair of blue jeans. "This is all I have. You'll have to make due." I laid the clothes in a heap on the floor.

"Vulpix," she yipped in gratitude, turning around a few times before settling down to rest.

I stretched out on my bed, massaging my sore muscles against the loose spring on the right side. It felt so good…

All of a sudden a door slammed, and heavy footsteps creaked on the peeling linoleum. "Robin, get in here and do the dishes!" Mom screamed.

"Hide!" Without a second thought, I shoved Desire under my bed. "Vulpix!" came her muffled reply. "Shhh…" I whispered. "Mom can't find out about you. If she does…well, that's not important. Just stay out of trouble." I darted out of the room.

"ROBIN!" she screamed again in a slur, and I sighed. A drunk Mom equals a probable beating. I raised my eyebrows innocently and walked over to the sink, then picked up a dirty dish and began scrubbing it. She scowled at me, then stumbled into the living room. She would pass out in about an hour.

I grabbed the filthy dishrag and scrubbed a plate. I hate doing dishes, it's so…dirty. Well, it's not as dirty as some things, but the water is just NASTY. And scrubbing is hard. And time consuming. And I hate it!

It took me a whole hour to finish those dishes. My mom is such a slob, she doesn't even rinse her plate off before putting it in the sink. Which leaves ME to clean HER garbage off the plate. Doing the dishes makes me soooo mad…

I could hear snoring and angry shouts from the living room. I pushed the last plate into its spot in the cabinet and peered through the doorway to see what the commotion was. The snoring was coming from my mom, who was asleep on the couch, and the shouts were coming from the television. It was tuned to _The Jerry Springer Show_, my mom's favorite program. The pervert. But wait…Jerry Springer came on at midnight, did it not? I glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall. Shit, it WAS midnight! I cursed and climbed up the creaky stairs. I opened the door to my room only to find Desire curled up in plain sight. "Desire!" I hissed. She awoke with a start, her large ears perking up. "Vul vul pix!" she sneezed.

I understood. It was too dusty under the bed. "Hang on…" I sighed, pulling out a bottle of Windex and a dishrag. I squirted out a bit of the cleaner, and scrubbed away at the bottom of my bed. I gave the floor a thorough rub with my damp rag, being careful not to get it too wet so as not to upset Desire. I straightened her makeshift bed and fluffed it up a bit to make it more comfy. "Better?" I asked. "Vul," she replied, and crawled underneath my bed. She settled down peacefully without complaint. I took this as meaning that things were okay, and turned out the light.

"VULPIX VULPIX!" Desire screamed.

I turned the light back on. "Shut up! You'll wake up mom!" I whispered, and turned it off again.

"VULPIX!" she shouted.

"Shut up," I gritted my teeth. "Oh wait…don't tell me. You're afraid of the dark, aren't you?"

Desire nodded.

"Great…just great," I mumbled. I was tired after washing the dishes and all I wanted to do was go to bed. But I couldn't do that with this little pest keeping me up all night! "Hold on…" I rummaged through my drawers and produced a small candle. "Here!"

Desire blew out a small flame, igniting the wick. I set the candle on my dresser and moved toward the light switch. "Now, I don't want to hear any more complaints from you. Understood?"

"Vulpix," came the reply. I breathed a sigh of relief and flicked the switch off.

"VUL VULPIX!"

"What is it now…?" I moaned. I would never get to sleep…

The next morning I was a zombie. I had literally gotten _no_ sleep. Desire kept me up for hours last night, making me clean out my closet, reorganize my dresser drawer, and a number of other silly tasks I couldn't remember due to my sleep-deprived brain. Oh, how I would hurt that little thing…how I would…

Oh wait. I couldn't do that; she was worth too much. Very helpful in nasty situations. I wouldn't ditch her…at least, not until the save-the-universe thing was over. Boy, that sounded weird. Save the universe. Heh…

Oh crap. I'm rambling again. Stuff like this happens when you're half-asleep…

"DING! DING! DING! DI-" the bell rang, signaling us to take out our books and prepare for class. I had forgot mine and left it in my locker. But that was okay, we had five minutes between classes to get our stuff. My chair scraped on the tile floor as I left the room.

Upon entering the hall, people rudely shoved me out of the way, but I was too sleepy to respond. It was all I could do to stumble down the crowded aisle. I was slammed against my locker by luck, and I reached out to enter my combination. I was so tired, it took me three tries before I got it right. The door swing open with a click, and I removed my algebra book and pushed the locker back shut. I didn't have any strength this morning…a long yawn escaped my throat.

I wandered back down the hall, constantly snapping my head up to stay awake. I made it back to the door.

"DING! DING! DING! DI-" announced the bell. I was late! But…I had my hand on the door…oh yeah, you have to go INSIDE. How smart of me. I pulled open the door.

"YOU'RE LATE! YOU'RE LATE!" jeered the kids. "YOU'RE LATE! YOU'RE LATE!" they continued the childlike chant. "YOU'RE LATE! YOU'RE LA-"

"I think she gets the point," said the teacher tartly. I jumped at the unfamiliar voice, then lifted my head. Sitting right there at the desk was a thin brunette woman in a long blue dress. This wasn't our teacher…what was going on? A substitute maybe?

"Please take your seat," she instructed. I nodded, and sat down in my desk. A few kids snickered, but I was so brain-dead I didn't even notice.

"Now, I regret to inform you that your former teacher has…passed away." Cheers erupted from the room, and spitwads shot through the air in celebration. The teacher's face suddenly tuned cold. "Don't you understand? She is DEAD." They had been too stupid to understand the first wording, and it took a while for the second to sink in. But as soon as it did, they resumed cheering. The teacher stared straight ahead at the class with a hard expression, as if she couldn't believe what her eyes were showing her.

I raised my hand slowly, and the teacher stared down at me. "Yes?" she asked.

"How- how did she die?" I stuttered.

"A blow to the head," the teacher replied. "So terrible…someone hit her in the head and killed her. She was too old to take it…" she looked down sorrowfully.

Oh my….

I KILLED MY TEACHER. Sure, I meant to hit her, but just to knock her out. I didn't mean to kill her…really, I didn't!

The shock must have shown on my face, because then she asked, "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "I'm fine." But I still couldn't believe I…I…

The teacher clapped her hands twice. "Alright! It's time to start class!" she turned around and wrote something on the board. When she moved away, I could see the words "Mrs. Brown."

"You will all be receiving new schedules starting today," she announced. "Unlike your former teacher, I cannot teach every subject in one class, so you'll have to use the period system like everyone else."

Now that sucked. Our old teacher…the one that I killed…she insisted on teaching all subjects in the same class. The principal didn't like the standard middle school system and allowed her to do this. But now…I would have to go to different periods for ach subject. I mumbled something under my breath.

"Okay! Settle down!" shouted Mrs. Brown. The class paid her no mind. "CLASS!" she yelled louder. They didn't even bat an eye. "BE QUIET SO WE CAN START THE DAY'S LESSON!" A few people stopped talking then, but most just ignored her. "BE QUIET OR I'LL GIVE DETENTION TO THE LOT OF YOU!" That got their attention. Everyone turned around to face her with innocent expressions. "Better," she sighed. "Now, today we will learn about…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"DING! DING! DING! DI-"

"Wha?" My head shot up. The bell rang, and everyone grabbed their backpacks and left the room. "Uh…" I said groggily. I had fallen asleep during class. Straining to lift my own backpack over my shoulder, I ran after the crowd.

I don't remember what happened the rest of the day, but I think I slept through it. All I can recall is that the bell rang a the end of seventh period, and I got on the bus, and then I fell asleep again.

I was in for quite a shock when I awoke. The bus had driven off into the woods again, and the navy woman was shaking me fiercely, screaming for me to wake up. "I'M AWAKE!" I shouted.

"Good," she smiled. "Ready for your next task?"

"Uhh….what?" I blinked.

Her smile faded. "Remember? You have to help us again today."

Slow realization crossed my face. "Oh yeah…" I said sleepily. "But…I'm way too tired. Desire kept me up all night." I yawned. "Speaking of Desire, where is she?"

"Vulpix!" she hopped into my lap. She had been in the bus seat beside me. "But how did she get here?" I asked.

"We stopped by to get her from your house," she added sharply, "you were asleep."

"Um, yeah."

"Well…" she sighed, "whether you're ready or not, you have to help. NOW." She waved her hands, making the hole in the air appear again. "Step in."


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter 7 Pamela Guinn Whitmore Normal Pamela Guinn Whitmore 1 1 2001-10-22T01:14:00Z 2001-10-22T01:15:00Z 4 1075 6132 51 12 7530 9.2720 

Chapter 7

Nodding sleepily, I stepped forward, and was jerked in again. This time I was prepared, so the jolt didn't startle me so much. I landed in the middle of a road with a soft plop.

"VULPIX!" Desire popped out of the hole behind me, and it closed and disappeared. "Vul vul!" she ran around in front of me, her energy apparent.

I had a sudden urge to strangle her right then. "Shut up. You kept me up all night, and I'm not putting up with any more of your bullshit. Be quiet and help me, and MAYBE I won't kill you when we get back."

She remained silent, and trotted off down the deserted road. It was early morning here, and a faint mist hung over the asphalt, blurring my vision. I yawned and chased after Desire.

It took ten minutes before I realized something: there were no cars. I glanced around nervously, as if expecting something to happen, but nothing did. NOTHING did. There were no crickets in the bushes, no sounds of a town nearby…

"Desire…!" I shouted, expecting to hear a "Vulpix!" in the distance, but none came. "Desire, answer me!" Still no sound. I was beginning to grow worried. It was either a trick, or she was really lost…I bolted down the road, calling out her name. "Where are you?!" I screeched. "This isn't funny!"

I stopped. "Is this a joke?" But deep down, I knew this was no joke. She was really gone. I had teased her before; cussed at her even, but I never meant for anything to happen! "Oh man…" I buried my face in my hands, and they came away wet. "What did I do?"

"Vul…" a faint cry echoed down the empty street. My head jerked up immediately. "Desire!" I shouted, already hurtling across the pavement. "I'm coming!"

She was alright! I thought happily to myself. But then it occurred to me: What if she had been kidnapped? What if she was hurt? I could never forgive myself…

"Vul…" she called again. I was no closer than before. This was like one of those horrible nightmares, where you're running but never get to what you seek. Only this was no nightmare…someone had Desire, and they were obviously making a getaway.

The mist was growing clearer now, and I could see shapes looming in the distance. Buildings! It was a town! I didn't know whether to be happy or worried about this. A town meant that I could find some clues on what I was supposed to do, but it also meant the kidnapper had a better chance of getting away. So I did the only thing I could do: pray.

I could see a figure now, running through the fog. It was a man, of medium height and build. Surprisingly, he didn't turn at any of the alleys we passed, but kept running down the main road. I could do nothing but follow.

Without warning, he ducked to the right, and I heard a door slam. Within a few seconds, I had reached the turnoff point as well, so I simply copied his moves and opened the first door I saw.

My reasoning had worked well. There, right in front of me, stood the guy who had kidnapped Desire. She was trying to squirm out of his grasp, but failing. A flash of anger coursed through me.

"Give me back that Vulpix," I snarled. He ignored me, and set Desire on a table, strapping her down like a…a THING. My anger grew.

"I'll count to three. Bring me the Vulpix, and I'll leave. Refuse, and I will kick your ass. Got it? One…two…three." He was humming merrily to himself, as if he couldn't hear me. Perhaps he was deaf. But it didn't matter…I was true to my word.

With a cry I sprang forward, and delivered a high kick to the bottom of his chin. He staggered back, and slumped to the floor. He was not unconscious, only dazed. I seized the moment and unstrapped Desire, who yipped in gratitude. I hurried over the to the kidnapper, and tied his hands behind his back, carefully checking to make sure there was no way he could wrench himself free. Satisfied with my handiwork, I propped him up against a wall, expecting an explanation.

I quickly realized my mistake. He pulled his legs to him, Indian style, and moved up onto his knees. He had risen halfway up before another swift kick landed him back on the ground. I could tell he was fighting for consciousness.

Before he could recover, I clasped his legs together to prevent him from getting up. "Desire," I commanded, "find more of those leather bonding thingies and hand them over."

It didn't take long to find the drawer-full of them. Desire removed one, and tentatively set it before me. Despite the kidnapper's angry protests, I bound his ankles to each other. He rolled across the floor in a last-ditch effort to trip me. Needless to say, it didn't work too well against me, but Desire was skirting around him as if he were a steamroller. Considering her height, he probably did seem like a steamroller to her.

"Vulpix!" she whined, as she narrowly missed being squashed by the madman.

"Hold on," I said in an irritated tone, "Almost done…" I picked out the longest leather bond I could find, and gave it to her. "Take this for a minute."

With great exertion, I lifted the screaming man into a chair and forced him down. Desire got the idea, and tried to tie him to the chair, but failed. So we switched roles: She Flamethrowered him relentlessly while I tied his waist around the chair. It wasn't easy work, Desire's flames kept coming MUCH too close to my hands…I reminded myself to scold her afterward.

"Stop!" I ordered. She closed her mouth, leaving a well-done kidnapper. He coughed up some ash, and I wiped it away from his face. "I'll be taking this, thank you," I scooped Desire up in my arms and strutted out the door.

"Wait!" he choked out. I spun around, a hard expression on my face. "What?"

He looked up at me with pleading eyes. "You don't know what you're doing…I need that Vulpix!" he shouted. "Give it to me!"

"Maybe in another lifetime, we could work something out," I said curtly, and continued toward the door.

"You'll be sorry!" he called after me. I paid him no mind…

  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  


"Are you okay?" I bent down, and Desire hopped from my arms onto the road.

"Vul," she said quietly. She looked thoughtful, like something had really shaken her up. I suppose getting kidnapped had damaged her emotionally or something. Sure, it was a shock, but…honestly, she was such a wuss…

"Come on," I ordered, and started off down the road. Desire looked puzzled at my behavior. What was so confusing? She got kidnapped, I saved her, now let's get on with business. Aw crap…now something's bothering me. The stupid little…

I whirled around. Desire jumped back, startled. I restrained myself just in time; I didn't want to hurt her until she was of no use to me. That was the only reason. Yes, that was the only reason I hadn't strangled her yet. I kept walking, though something was still eating at me.

I was angry, that I knew. But why was the mystery. Something had just seriously ticked me off, but I couldn't figure out what it was, and that made me more angry and…and…

Desire was whining. She could sense that I was upset. I turned around and screamed at her, telling her that she could shut up right now or I would throw her off the nearest cliff. And what made me REALLY upset was that I knew I wouldn't. She was useful. But something just kept EATING AT ME and telling me otherwise. It was an odd feeling, one I didn't want to admit to having…I clenched my teeth and forced myself to concentrate on the task at hand.

But it seemed like the more I tried to put it out of mind, the stronger it became.


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter 8 Pamela Guinn Whitmore Normal Pamela Guinn Whitmore 1 0 2001-11-05T02:46:00Z 2001-11-05T02:46:00Z 5 1552 8851 73 17 10869 9.2720 

Chapter 8

It didn't take long for me to realize something was wrong in the town. All the shops were closed, there were no cars on the streets, and it was just generally devoid of life. What scared me further was that there weren't even any bugs, or mice, or animals…in fact, the only living thing I'd seen so far was the kidnapper.

Desire seemed to notice it too. Her ears were perked, and she slinked along uneasily behind me. This was just plain…FREAKY. The kidnapper's words echoed in my mind: "You'll be sorry!" he had said. Would I disappear with all the people? Where had they gone?

"Maybe it's a ghost town," I mumbled. The silence was really getting to me; now I was talking to myself. I whirled around, like someone had tapped me on the shoulder, but no one was there. Easy girl, calm down… I thought to myself, careful not to say it out loud. It helped a little…but not enough. Why couldn't I calm down?

A cough echoed through the street, and I jumped about a foot in the air. "Who's there?!" I shouted. I whipped my head about wildly, looking for the source of the sound, but I couldn't find it. Perhaps it was my imagination…yes, it had to be…

"Vulpix!" Desire called, and ran toward a door. She barked back at me, urging me to follow, and I ran over to her. I gripped the cool metal doorknob firmly. I was about to go into someone else's house, and if they were home…I flung it open.

No one was there.

I sighed in relief, and stood there in the doorway for a moment. Something just didn't feel right. I mean, it was like somebody was watching me, but no one was there. "Let's get out of here," I mumbled, and did a quick scan of the living room before moving on to the kitchen.

Nobody was in the kitchen either. Or the bathroom, for that matter. It was in the bedroom I got the shock of my life.

"Oh!" A cry escaped my throat. Lying face up on the bed was…a dead body. I tried to run, but my legs were frozen in place, and I couldn't tear my eyes from the horrific sight before me.

Those cold, dead eyes staring up at me…the dry, pale gray skin…it was sickening. The body laid still on the mattress.

"Vulpix!" screamed Desire, clamping her teeth down on my pant leg,

That snapped me back to reality. I bolted from the house, as fast as my legs could carry me. I didn't stop until I reached the building that held the kidnapper.

I yanked open the door, my eyes wide with fright. "Hey you dude!" I shouted stupidly. "Hey! Uh, it, um…"

"I told you so." A smile played around the corner of his mouth, but it gave me the chills. "You peeked into a house, no?"

"Um…yes," I stuttered. I couldn't believe I was doing this…coming back to the man that kidnapped Desire!

"And you have clue what is going on?" his smile widened.

"No…" I backed away. He was starting to creep me out.

"Untie me and I'll tell you."

Naturally, I was a bit skeptical about this, but I agreed. Though only because Desire was ready to Flamethrower if he tried anything funny. My hands shaking from the adrenaline rush, I unfastened the leather straps that held him.

He got up slowly, shaking his wrists. "Thank you."

"Cut the crap. Tell me what's wrong with this town!" I demanded.

His eyes flashed with anger for a moment, but he calmed himself. I could have sworn I saw him smile again. "A rather nasty bout of disease, I'm afraid."

I almost choked on my own spit. "You're telling me a cold epidemic did all this!?" I motioned wildly.

"Well, not a cold exactly," he paused, "it was actually more similar to the flu. Chills, coughing, sore throat, vomiting…the only difference was that this left the victim dead. Doctors' offices were flooded. Such a shame, because somehow the doctors caught it! And with all the doctors sick, there was no one to find a cure…hospitals around the country worked long into the night, testing vaccine after vaccine, until one by one they too fell victim to the disease. Few people escaped it, which is why I'm so surprised to find you here. Come to think of it, where are you from? You don't look like a foreigner." 

"Looks can be deceiving," I lied smoothly.

"Ah yes," he cleared his throat, casually leaning closer to me. "I guess they can." I noticed his hands were behind his back. Not a good sign.

Just as casually, I scooted over a bit. He shifted his foot a bit closer. That was when the whole idea of a sneak attack flew out the window. He lunged for me, and I dodged quickly, but he reached out again and grabbed my wrist. I used an old technique I had learned, and twisted out of his grasp. He looked surprised for a moment, so I kicked him where the sun don't shine. And he fell…right on top of me. I tried to get out from under him, but it was too late. He seized my wrists before I could respond, bound them together, and dashed to the cabinet.

All of a sudden, he caught fire! I attempted to climb to my feet, while Desire Flamethrowered him relentlessly. He screamed, and ran to another room. Steam billowed from the doorway. I was on my feet, but I couldn't open the door with my hands tied behind my back! Still, I tried. I turned around, groping for the doorknob, but just then the kidnapper re-entered the room. He was charred, black, and wet. Desire Flamethrowered him again in an attempt to buy me more time, but he was too soaked for the flames to ignite. He smirked at me and strode over to the door, locking it. I tried to run, but he caught me easily and threw me to a wooden table. I kicked at him, screaming my head off, but it had no effect. All of a sudden, he jumped about four feet in the air and yelled in pain. A sharp yelp echoed across the room, and I knew what had happened. 

"YOU DIRTY BASTARD, LEAVE DESIRE ALONE!" His head snapped around, and he grabbed me roughly by the neck, choking me. Desire charged him from behind, and bit down hard on his leg, sending a fresh stream of blood running down his calf. He screamed, and shook his leg hard, but did not release his hold on me. It continued in this vein for a few minutes: I kicked and cussed at him, Desire ripped fiercely into his lower leg, and he held me down while doing what looked to be an extremely intricate tap dance. Without warning he plunged his hand into his shirt pocket and produced a small gun, then pointed it at my head.

For a second nobody moved. Desire's growls instantly stopped, my legs quit kicking, and he gritted his teeth at the horrible pain Desire had inflicted. The cold metal of the gun pressed hard into my head.

"Little Vulpix, if you so much as twitch, I will not hesitate to blow your owner's head off. Are we clear?" he addressed Desire, but kept his eyes focused on me.

"Vulpix," she whispered. There was a definite note of panic in it.

He breathed a sigh of relief, but did not relax. "Get me some more leather bondings," he ordered. Desire did not hesitate to retrieve them from the drawer. "Now…tie her up."

Her large brown eyes widened further, and her ears flattened on her head. "Vul…Vulpix!"

He jammed the gun sharply into my head, causing me to inhale sharply. "DO IT!" he screamed.

She was shaking, the poor thing, as she slowly wrapped the tough leather around my legs and chest. "Vulpix," came her whispered apology.

The man was breathing heavily, and my hate for him was mounting quickly. "I have a good reason for this," he said.

I wanted to rip his throat out, but I didn't dare to move. What possible reason could he have for kidnapping Desire and forcing her to do his bidding? I clenched my teeth in anger.

"Vulpix, get that syringe on the table. The red one," he added quickly. He still refused to take his eyes off me.

Desire placed the needle in his hand, crying softly. He took it from her (still looking at me!) and held it over my jeans. My legs tensed up, for I had always been afraid of needles.

"This syringe contains a small amount of the deadly germ," he explained. My eyes went wide with shock. He noticed them, and laughed. "Not enough to kill you, silly. Just enough for your immune system to produce antibodies."

Even so, this didn't sound good. "You're not putting anything in me," I said matter-of-factly.

"Oh yeah?" he rasped, poking the gun barrel into my forehead.

I gulped. "Um, nothing."

He smiled. "Good." And with that, he plunged the needle through my jeans and into my skin.

"EEEEEEEEEEE!" I screamed shrilly. He pumped more of the germ into my body.

After what seemed like forever, he pulled the needle back out. "Done."

I drew a breath shakily. It was over?

"Vulpix, get the empty syringe," he commanded. "This to extract the antibodies," he told me.

I froze. Another needle?!

He held it up. "Ready…and now!" I felt the sharp needle poke through my skin, and I yelled again. He pumped, but this time the syringe filled up instead of emptying itself. I braced myself to endure the horrible pain shooting up and down my leg.

"Okay." He stopped. I was surprised how absolutely calm he was doing this. He must be a doctor…

He removed the needle. "Now. I am going to take the gun away from your head." Desire's ears perked up. "And if you have any sense at all, you won't try to escape. You need the medicine I'm making to be cured. Understood?" I nodded.

"Very well." He pulled the gun away from head. I breathed a sigh of relief, and tried to get up. The leather bindings pushed me back down. "Hey, um…"

He turned around. "I don't fully trust you."

I struggled against the bindings, and cursed under my breath. That double crossing son-of-a-bitch…

"Vulpix!" Desire hopped up beside me.

"Desire," I whispered so low I couldn't even hear myself, "bite through these. Please?"

She grinned, then began chewing quietly through the leather. Luckily the kidnapper didn't look up from his work.

It was taking so LONG for Desire to chew through them! In fact, it took so long, I came up with a theory on why anyone would have a drawer full of leather bindings in their house. The theory: This dude was a mad scientist. Dumb, huh? Told you it was taking waaaay too long.

Twenty minutes later, she had finished (finally!). I stayed down on the table. "Desire," I whispered, I want you to run over there, grab the antibody syringe, and RUN. Got it?" She nodded. "On the count of three. One, two, THREE!" I jumped up from the table quick as you please, and sprinted for the door. The kidnapper looked up, startled, and dropped the syringe he was holding. "Now!" I shouted, and Desire raced over and grabbed the syringe. I jerked the door handle. It didn't open! Oh yeah, it was locked! I panicked and ran to the other side of the room, but Desire kept her head and Flamethrowered it down. I charged back to the door and leapt through the burning wood. I didn't look back to see if the kidnapper followed.


End file.
